Retainers for food containers

ABSTRACT

A base attachable to a supporting surface, and a food container mountable on the base. The latter and the container have telescoping medial portions. A stud with a side lug depends from the container into the base and engages either one of a pair of cams therein when the container is given a partial side turn in the corresponding direction, whereby to hold the container down on the base. An element in the latter is tensioned by this action to maintain the hold on the container.

United States Patent 1191 [111 3,877,668

Von Sande 1 Apr. 15, 1975 [54] RETAINERS FOR FOOD CONTAINERS 3,401,908 9/1968 Rapata 24/221 L [76] inventor: Herrnan L. Von Sande, 19386 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Kedzle Homewood 60438 1,216,610 12 1970 United Kingdom 24 221 R [22] Filed: June 7, 1973 [21] Appl No; 367,740 Primary ExaminrMarion Parsons, Jr.

52 US. Cl 248/154; 24/221 R; 248/346 1 1 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl A47g 23/02 A base attachable to a supporting Surface and a f d [58] held of Search 248/154 187, container mountable on the base. The latter and the 248/346 361; 24/221 221 221 A container have telescoping medial portions. A stud with a side lug depends from the container into the [56] References C'ted base and engages either one of a pair of cams therein UNITED STATES PATENTS when the container is given a partial side turn in the 144,070 10/1873 Dietz 248/346 Corresponding direction, whereby 10 hold the 373,860 11/1887 Steffey 24/221 R tainer down on the base. An element in the latter is 1,879,220 9/1932 Harmony... 248/346 tensioned by this action to maintain the hold on the 1,930,645 10/1933 Ellis 24/221 R container, 2.517018 8/1950 Nicho1son.. 248/154 3,013,688 12/1961 Luning 248/346.1 2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures RETAINERS FOR FOOD CONTAINERS This invention relates to containers for foods served to young children and infants, and more particularly to means for keeping the containers in place on a table, high-chair tray or other support on which the food is served.

It is commonly known that foods served to young children and infants are often spilled or scattered by the careless handling or upsetting of the container; and

a childs temperamental behavior will even cause containers to be cast across the table or thrown to the floor. It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a container facility which secures the container firmly to the table or other support in the locality where the child is served, so that the container cannot be upset or otherwise mishandled by the child.

A further object is to provide a retainer which is permanently secured to the table or other support, with means to seat the container in place whether or not it contains food to be served, yet render the container removable when its return to the kitchen or other place of origin is desired.

Another object is to construct the food container and the retainer with co-acting formations for connecting them to each other or disconnecting them, these ac tions being procured by giving the container a partial lateral turn in either direction.

A further object is to form both the container and retainer in one piece with the component of its interlocking feature, the latter being fully concealed and remote from the food-receiving area of the container.

A better understanding of the invention may be gained by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. I is an elevation of the container in a position above the retainer before being joined with the same;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section of the bottom portion of the container;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the showing in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a magnified bottom view of the retainer, as seen in perspective from the line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a more magnified section on the line 55 of FIG. 4 before a locking element from the container is actuated to engage the retainer; and

FIG. 6 is a similar view indicating the locking element in the actuated position.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 10 denotes a typical food container, such as a bowl. However, the form of the container may be a saucer, soup plate, tumbler or any other receptacle for a food or beverage. The bottom 10a of the container depends with a circular wall 11 which is short.

The retainer has a base plate 12 preferably but not necessarily of circular form; and a short, integral wall 13 rises from the base plate, such wall being circular and of slightly less diameter than the wall 11 of the container. This wall is designed to slide over the retainer wall 12 to enclose the same when the container is lowered from the position of FIG. 1, so that the container bottom 10a will rest on top of the retainer wall 13. The container will touch the base plate 12 in this event, but it need not do so.

The retainer plate 12 is designed to procure a firm support on a table 14, high-chair tray or other surface on which the food is served. For this purpose the drawing shows the base plate 12 secured by screws 15. However, it may be coated with a self-adhesive layer on the under side, and firmly secured by normal pressure. The retainer is thus to all intents and purposes a permanent part of the table or other support; and the retainer is so compact that it should not form a serious obstacle or impediment when its supporting surface is cleaned.

The assembling feature of the invention comes into play after the container 10 with or without food content is lowered to seat on the retainer as previously described. It will now be noted in FIGS. 2 and 3 that the container bottom 10a has a pendent central stud 20 which is short and terminates with a side lug 20a. FIGS. 4 and 5 show that the top of the retainer is in the form of a sunken, corrugated diaphragm 21. The latter has a diametrically positioned slot 21a in the center, the middle portion of the slot being widened with partcircular, opposed portions 21b. These permit the passage of the container stud 20 to the position indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the container is deposited as mentioned, where the lug 20a underlies the diaphragm 21.

With the parts positioned as shown, the container may be given a partial lateral turn in either direction, whereby to turn the lug 20a accordingly, as per arrows above and below the showing of the same in FIG. 4. This figure also shows that the diaphragm is made with opposed pendent cams 22 in the rotary path of the lug 20a. The latter will thus climb upon the related cam as indicated by dotted lines in the bottom of FIG. 6. The diaphragm is made of spring metal or plastic; and the crowding of the cam 22 by the lug will compress the diaphragm upwardly to the shallower form shown in FIG.

The action just described will not only procure the pressing engagement of the container 10 upon the retainer 12, but also lock the container against accidental rotation or light manual pressure that a young child or infant might exert to disconnect the container with upsetting or food spilling or scattering effect. In other words, the present connection will come apart only when fairly strong rotary pressure is exerted by an older person or adult.

It will now be apparent that the present invention insures the stability of food containers served to young children or infants, resisting efforts to push the containers away or upset them with food spilling or scattering effects. Further, the food-serving facility has its connecting feature fully concealed, so that nothing will detract from the appearance of the container or such ornamental developments it may have. Further, the container is held with a solid and even fit on the retainer, so that it will not tilt, loosen or rattle once it has been locked to the retainer. Further, the pendent stud of the container is of a nature to be fused or sealed to the bottom of the same or to be cast or stamped integrally with the container. Further, the connecting extension of the container is adaptableto any form of food or beverage receptacle. Finally, the invention is very simple and should be suitable for mass-production methods.

I claim:

1. Means for stabilizing a container on a supporting surface comprising a base, means for attaching the latter to said surface, a tubular wall rising from the base, a similar wall depending from the container to surround the base wall when the container is lowered for support on the same, and co-operative means within the walls effective to lock the container to the base on a partial lateral of the container, said co-operative 3 4 means comprising a stud with a side lug depending turning of the container in locking engagement. from the comamer bottom and of Opposed cams 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said flexible depending from the under surface of a flexible diaphram joining the upper edges of the tubular wall and engaging the side lug from underneath upon the lateral 5 diaphgram top is corrugated in cross-section. 

1. Means for stabilizing a container on a supporting surface comprising a base, means for attaching the latter to said surface, a tubular wall rising from the base, a similar wall depending from the container to surround the base wall when the container is lowered for support on the same, and co-operative means within the walls effective to lock the container to the base on a partial lateral of the container, said co-operative meanS comprising a stud with a side lug depending from the container bottom, and a pair of opposed cams depending from the under surface of a flexible diaphram joining the upper edges of the tubular wall and engaging the side lug from underneath upon the lateral turning of the container in locking engagement.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said flexible diaphgram top is corrugated in cross-section. 